RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Characterization of Catechol Glucuronidation in Rat Liver JF Drug Metabolism and Disposition JO Drug Metab Dispos FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 199 OP 207 DO 10.1124/dmd.30.2.199 VO 30 IS 2 A1 Antonio, Laurence A1 Grillasca, Joël-Paul A1 Taskinen, Jyrki A1 Elovaara, Eivor A1 Burchell, Brian A1 Piet, Marie-Helene A1 Ethell, Brian A1 Ouzzine, Mohamed A1 Fournel-Gigleux, Sylvie A1 Magdalou, Jacques YR 2002 UL http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/30/2/199.abstract AB Catechols are a class of substances from natural or synthetic origin that contain a 1,2-dihydroxybenzene group. We have characterized the glucuronidation by rat liver microsomes and by the rat liver recombinant UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoforms UGT1A6 and UGT2B1 of a series of 42 structurally diverse catechols, including neurotransmitters, polyphenols, drugs, and catechol estrogens. Small catechols (4-nitrocatechol, 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, 4-methylcatechol, and tetrachlorocatechol), tyrphostine A23, and octylgallate were glucuronidated at the highest rate by rat liver microsomes and the recombinant enzymes. By contrast, polyphenols from green tea (catechin and related compounds), 3,5-dinitrocatechol, the catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitor drugs (entacapone, nitecapone, and tolcapone), the carboxyl catechols (gallic acid and dihydroxybenzoic acid derivatives), and the neurotransmitters and dopaminergic drugs, except dobutamine, were glucuronidated at low rate. Glucuronidation of most catechols was increased upon treatment of rats by 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) or Aroclor 1254. No induction was observed after administration of phenobarbital and clofibrate or treatment with catechols. Partial least-squares modeling was carried out to explain the variations of glucuronidation activity by liver microsomes of nontreated and 3-MC-treated rats. The model developed explained 82% and predicted 61% of the variations of glucuronidation activities. Among the 17 electronic and substructure parameters used that characterize the catechols, the hydrophobicity/molar volume ratio of catechols showed a strong positive correlation with the glucuronidation rate. The effect of the pKaof the catechol group was modeled to be nonlinear, the optimal pKa value for glucuronidation being between 8 and 9. Hydrogen bonding and steric effects also were important to account for to predict the glucuronidation rates. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics